Enfield

Enfield's population expanded in the 10 years leading up to 2011. At the same time there were changes in relationships, housing tenure and work life.

The population passed 310,000

Between the last two censuses, the population of Enfield increased by 14.2%, from almost 274,000 to 312,000.

The addition of almost 39,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Enfield was home to, on average, 28 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across London

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across London, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Enfield

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Enfield decreased by one year, from 35 to 34 years.

This urban area had a higher average age than London and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just over 10,000 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 900.

About 15.0% of people in Enfield are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Enfield by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More single parents

Enfield saw England's largest rise in the proportion of single-parent households.

During this period, Enfield overtook 37 local authority areas, including St. Helens and Coventry, to become the English local authority area with the third-highest percentage of single-parent households.

In 2011, just under one in six (16.7%) households in Enfield had a single parent, compared with 11.3% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising a married couple decreased from 35.2% to 32.2%.

Slough saw England's next largest rise in the proportion of single-parent households (from 8.7% to 12.8%).

The percentage of households with a single-parent in Enfield increased by 5.4 percentage points

Percentage of households in Enfield, London and England that had a single parent, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in home ownership

Enfield saw England's third-largest fall in the proportion of households that owned their home.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (57.9%) households in Enfield owned their home, compared with 70.1% in 2001. The percentage of privately rented homes increased from 9.9% to 22.2%.

England's largest decrease in the proportion of households that owned their home occurred in Slough (from 66.4% to 52.7%) followed by Brent (from 55.1% to 42.9%).

The rate of home ownership in Enfield decreased by 12 percentage points

Percentage of households in Enfield, London and England that owned their home, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Enfield working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 12.1% to 8.6% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 1 in 25 (3.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.0% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell faster here than the figure for the whole of London (from 13.2% in 2001 to 11.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Enfield decreased by 3.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Enfield, London and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More adults are separated from partners

Enfield saw London's largest rise in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner.

In 2011, just under one in eight (11.8%) people aged 16 and over in Enfield said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner, compared with 10.0% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 48.0% to 44.2%.

Across the region, Havering saw the next largest increase in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner (from 9.1% in 2001 to 10.5% in 2011).

During this period, Enfield overtook 14 local authority areas, including Lambeth and Sutton, to become the London local authority area with the sixth-highest percentage of people who had divorced or separated.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was higher than across London

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

More homes with children

Enfield saw London's third-largest rise in the proportion of households with children.

In 2011, just under 4 in 10 (36.7%) households in Enfield had at least one dependent child, compared with 32.6% in 2001. The percentage with no children decreased from 56.4% to 51.2%.

Across the region, only Barking and Dagenham (from 33.9% to 41.5%) and Redbridge (from 33.2% to 38.5%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of households with children.

During this period, Enfield overtook Brent and Harrow to become the London local authority area with the fourth-highest percentage of households with children.

The proportion of households with children was higher than across London

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Enfield residents that were unemployed increased from 4.1% to 5.9% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under one in two (47.5%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 49.9% in 2001. The percentage of Enfield residents that were self-employed increased from 9.0% to 11.2%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 4.4% in 2001 to 5.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Enfield increased by 1.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Enfield, London and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Enfield

The percentage of Enfield residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 6.1% to 5.5% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities remained close to 2.8%, while the percentage of Enfield residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 91.2%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 5.8% in 2001 to 5.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across London

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Enfield

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Enfield was among those who said they were Muslim, rising 7.6 points.

In 2011, 18.1% of respondents in Enfield gave this religion on the census compared with 10.5% of those who answered in 2001.

Across London, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as Muslim increased from 9.3% to 13.5%, while across England the percentage went from 3.5% to 5.6%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Newham, 58.1% said they were Christian, compared with 68.8% in 2001. About 16.8% said they had no religion, compared with 13.4% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they were Sikh increased from 0.4% to 0.4%.

In Enfield, 7.7% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 8.1% in 2001. In London, 8.5% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population who identified as Muslim in Enfield increased by 7.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, London and Enfield by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Enfield

In 2011, 17.2% of Enfield residents said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, making it the most common ethnicity in this local authority area. The population from these groups has increased from 10.5% in 2001.

Across London, the percentage of people from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 10.9% to 13.3%, while across England the percentage went from 2.4% to 3.6%.

Around 61.0% of people in Enfield said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 77.1% in 2001. About 11.2% said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, compared with 8.5% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from 3.0% to 5.5%.

The population from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups in Enfield increased by 6.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Enfield by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Enfield residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.5% to 5.5% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (81.9%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 69.6% in 2001. The percentage of Enfield residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22.0% to 12.7%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 8.3% in 2001 to 5.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Enfield decreased by 3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Enfield, London and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Enfield residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.8% to 2.0% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.1%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 1.7% in 2001 to 1.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Enfield remained close to 2.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Enfield by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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